Adam de Smith

Adam de Smith is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at the University of Southern California (USC), with an affiliation at the USC Center for Genetic Epidemiology and the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. His research focuses on identifying genetic and environmental causes of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), particularly in Latino children and those with Down syndrome. He leads studies like the International Study of Down Syndrome Acute Leukemia (IS-DSAL), examining genetic/epigenetic risk factors. His work integrates whole-genome sequencing, epigenetic analysis, and epidemiological methods to trace leukemia origins. Key areas include maternal-fetal interactions, prenatal exposures, and mutational signatures linked to environmental agents.

Research interests emphasize disparities in ALL incidence across ethnicities, leveraging ancestral admixture analyses in Latino populations. Publications highlight roles of noncoding variants (e.g., IKZF1), cytomegalovirus infections, and folate intake in leukemia etiology. The de Smith Lab collaborates globally, analyzing data from California and international cohorts. Recent work explores epigenetic aging in newborns with Down syndrome and molecular mechanisms linking clonal hematopoiesis to cancer risk. His findings aim to guide prevention strategies and improve understanding of childhood cancer disparities.

Publications span 2020–2024, covering genetic risk loci, epigenetic biomarkers, and clinical characteristics of ALL subtypes. Notable studies include genome-wide association analyses, methylation profiling, and functional mapping of genetic variants at single-cell resolution. Grants and collaborations likely support his multidisciplinary approach, though specific funding details are not provided here.